Destati
by Infernal-Nine
Summary: Shimmering and glittering ; stars light the sky. They shine and sparkle, night after night, breaching an all encompassing darkness with the comfort of their Light. Quite suddenly, a star blinks out. And it seems that a peace brought by heroes past may be coming to an end sooner than anyone believed. The dawn of a new era begins now. [ OC-Centric \ View Profile for details \ WIP ]
1. Prologue Dive into the Heart

_Alright ; this probably wasn't the best of ideas, but I decided to go ahead and make this into a story, possibly! The concept has been itching at my back since I've written this dang thing, and with a bit of effort ( and constant promotion by my friends ), I've decided to produce the one-shot "Destati" as an actual chapter to . . . an actual story. Really, I have a basic outline in my head, and I'm definitely going to be going on a search for a Beta Reader soon ( mostly so I can idea-bounce on cameos and stuff!) -! Weird, that I decide to start this a few weeks before Summer ends, but-_

_Erhm. If you need any sort of reference art for Suihei and her companions, I'll be sure to throw it on her profile some time this evening. Possibly._

_This chapter is just an introductory one!_

_**Disclaimer ; **I don't own Kingdom Hearts, by the by - the only thing I own is Suihei and the basic premise of this plot. Nyx Noir and Noxic belong to two other peopleeeee ~~_

* * *

_**Prologue**_

_" As I look into this mirror, and what I may have become I wonder... Is this truly what I want? Do I truly want to become just a reflection, or do I have a will of my own? "_

Weightlessness ; suspended in nothingness, yet being pulled all the same. A chill bit into her bone ; darkness obscured her vision from across the board. Straining herself, attempting to expand her awareness, told her nothing that would've been considered helpful to her sensory feedback. She continued to get this feeling of 'falling', nothingness replaced with the tepid warmth of water coasting across her flesh akin to a gentle breeze. Contemplation tugged at her consciousness, even as her eyes slid shut ignore the Dark _'Coldcoldcold why did it have to be so __**cold**_?' she couldn't help but notice . . .

' _Falling . . . _'

Her eyes are greeted by the abyss once more, an all encroaching darkness gnawing at her sense of safety, her sense of security -her sense of _**self**_.

'_I'm . . . falling . . . _'

Keen of her to observe, mn? She extends her hand instinctually, a moment of weakness in the hopes of doing so would allow her to grasp onto something, anything so she didn't have to continue her endless fall. Light - _here was light, reach for it, don't let it escape _- caught her attention near immediately, and for just a moment, she thought that she had been deceived.

Cool stone scraped against her legs as her inquisitive gaze glanced across a horizon painted in vivid oranges ; a perpetual dusk. Home. _How unusual, for had she not been falling moments before? _ Irrelevant thoughts in the long run.

Shielding her eyes with her free hand, the brunette can't help but be _mildly_ annoyed, yet relieved at the near silent contemplation on her end being broken by someone sitting on the periphery of her awareness. Taking her gaze over brought her around to bright brown eyes. Sharp features - short-cropped hair. Shorts and a tanktop. Defined musculature, but that was because he did heavy lifting. Ah, had she agreed to meet Barrett today? ( _Probably not, she never actually bothered going of her own volition. Everything seemed so __**forced sometimes **_- )

Reaching over to pat her friend on his shoulder, she was shocked (reasonably so) when, instead of landing on the corporeal, she went through him, as if he were a ghost. The sudden motion knocked her off her balance, sending her into a freefall. Air distorting around her, almost as if a heatwave had struck, had set the world on pause, as gravity once again lulled her into His call.

She wasn't going to die, this wasn't going to hurt - it wasn't dangerous - she wasn't sure how she knew, but know she did. Several motes of light peppered the air around her in flourish, coalescing beneath her with the comforting warmth of Light. Cheering brought her back into awareness to the world around her, (_When had she closed her eyes, was it really that peaceful_?) a familiar weight of an item- blue? Foamy? Ah . . . a struggle club.

Shoes toyed at her vision, as did the legs that were quite obviously attached to them.

" _You'd better be on your guard, Suihei . . . _"

Biting purple met her own, expressive hazel in annoyance. Snide, that was the best way to describe his voice. As if he had already won when she hadn't even tried anything quite yet. The weight of his club against her own proved enough to bring a competitive grin to her lips.

She wouldn't lose, she couldn't lose, not to _**him **_of all people, for pride was at stake and she wasn't quite willing to lose that just yet. Amidst the friendly spar, the storm that were once the cheers of spectators ceased to be. As if she were in the eye, it was as silent as a graveyard. Curious as to what caused the sudden silence, Suihei lifted her eyes to the heavens, as everyone else had in shock.

Shooting stars? No, that wasn't what caused the reaction, there was more _**fear **_than awe, and nobody _**feared**_ a meteor shower. Celestial bodies continued to wreathe across the skies in a blaze, light /shading/, but never once /obscuring/ a sight that bordered the bizarre. It took a few moments for her to make out the object, but once she did her eyes widened in shock, disbelief! It shouldn't have been possible, but -

Those shooting stars . . . _were her._

It took all her fortitude to not gape like a fish, to be taken aback further than what she had already, but by the time she collected herself, the old feeling of weightlessness returned. Similar to a movie being put in pause, everything around her remained static, unchanging, unmoving.

'_Maybe . . . Maybe I'm dreaming . . . _'

Like brittle glass, the world began to break apart ; desperation fell upon her near immediately _no no no she couldn't keep falling like this_. Begging was never her forte, he was too stubborn. Even as her hand stretched out in an attempt to grasp 'his', he never once returned the courtesy. Moreso amused, really, at her panic like the _**bastard**_ he was. Only her safety passed through her mind, feeting as it could be. The probability of her actually landing somewhere secure though? Neigh impossible.

Despite the panic that had seized her - and she _**was**_ panicking - letting go was easier. It wouldn't hurt her to let go, wouldn't pain her to continue drifting a bit longer, right? Suihei sighed to herself, eyes drifting to her left. If there were a time to be resigned, this had to be it, right?

Numbness embraced her all the same ; there was no need to fret, to stress, to tug on the already tenuous connection she had to the world lest it broke. Streaking down from the heavens, just as her eyes had seen mere moments before.

'_But if this is all a dream . . . _'

Tepid waters splashed against her face, sending her drifting into the abyss once more. Quite the surprise it caused, when the rest of the world shattered with such an impact.

' _Then why . . . _'

How long had she been drifting? Minutes, hours? Spinning with the current, it was only with a sudden shift in her weight that she went right-side up. Suihei's feet touched the ground gently . . . ( _and given her small amount of knowledge on science, that was probably a good thing _) as if she hadn't careened from the heavens in the slightest.

She opened her eyes, then ; the Darkness, while all encompassing as it was before, wasn't as scary. A cursory glance around her revealed not a single soul in sight. Not Barret, nor Caius (_the jerk that he was_) - she was completely and devoid of company. Without guidance, without safety, without the security that she sought so desperately now. Apprehension crashed down on her in an instant, though it wasn't without merit.

A single step forward lit the ground beneath her with a blinding light. Darkness fragmented, lifting itself from a mosaic enraptured her near immediately - for they weren't shards of darkness as she thought, but birds leaving behind a flurry of feathers.

' _Then why am I alone . . . ? _'

~* _**Destati** _*~

* * *

Suihei stood in silence as she contemplated this, chocolate eyes drifting down to the mosaic beneath her feet once the feelings of awe subsided. Certainly it was amazing, and not by any means was the feeling minimal ; the craftsmanship was something right out of a church, but . . . that boy. Suihei squinted to get a closer look.

His features were something right out of a story book - spiky brown locks that ; an odd outfit of black covered him. Though the shorts were accentuated by the yellow stripes and sharp red pouches tied to them. Within his hand was a giant key, almost oversized to the point of being _**humorous **_for the young lady. And though interested, she was unable to see the colour of his eyes- something most unfortunate for her. Certainly an interesting figure, but . . . she had never seen him a day in her life.

Who _**was **_he?

Focus. Once the thought was in her head, she'd be able to figure out where 'here' was ; truly, there was nobody else here. Merely her, the agonizing silence of darkness, and a spotlight illuminating her immediate area. A circular platform was the only thing keeping her from falling into the Darkness completely, she noticed ; though it was with some distaste that she took stock of her surroundings, Suihei was at least glad that she hadn't been forsaken entirely. Familiar faces would've been a comfort though- Barrett. Relm. Ignis. Even that _jerk_, Caius, was preferential to being completely and utterly by herself.

"What am I supposed to do . . . " she rubbed the small of her neck in contemplation, completely unexpectant of the voice that responded to her near immediately thereafter.

' _**So much to do, so little time . . . Take your time. Don't be afraid, the door is still shut. Now step forward. Can you do it? **_'

Well, yeah, she had figured that much out. She refrained from saying anything, however, instead opting to fold her arms over her chest while trying to catch a feel for the tone. It was . . . odd. Light, yet biting. Gentle, yet harsh - an androgynous tone at best that made it a mite bit more difficult to discern the gender of whoever, or whatever, had been speaking to her. All she had t'do was get over her worries, right?

Her body, having had enough of her meddlesome indecisiveness, took action by its own accord. Blue sneakers hit the ground - one step, then another. And another. The soft jostling her necklace brought her back to attention, so caught up in her thoughts she was that she hardly noticed that she had settled right into the middle of the platform until it was too late. Now all she had to do was wait for her next command, right? '

' _**Power sleeps within you . . . **_'

A beam of light flared at the edge of her vision, though she took no note of it immediately. Almost prepared to protest the statement, the brunette was nearly cut off immediately by her eyes glancing over to give the risen tablet in the utmost curiosity. A shield, black in colour with a peculiar design in the middle, greeted her. This didn't stop the voice from speaking, but on the contrary, it didn't seem to be quite finished yet.

' _**If you give it form . . .'**_

Suihei pivoted on her heel, just in time to see another beam of light rise from the surface to her left. Yet another tablet had risen from the ground, this time bearing a stave with an odd 'tri-circled' tip of blue. It vaguely reminded her of one of the cartoons she frequently watched on Saturday mornings, though such thoughts were immediately tucked away. After all, there was something about it that was captivating in of itself for her.

'_**It will give you strength . . .'**_

Another beam of light had appeared, and with it came another stone tablet from the depths of the floor. Suihei's brows knitted together in confusion. This one had appeared right in front of her - and on it was a broadsword with a gold and blue hilt. Much like the staff, it radiated power in a way that captivated her, enthralled her.

' _**Choose well. **_'

Thoughtless, she stepped forward to give the sword a closer look. While her club after school had given her an opportunity to practice Kendo with her peers, so it was the obvious choice in her humble opinion.

' _**The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction. Is this the power you seek? **_'

She couldn't help but smile when she nodded her assent, fingers extending to wrap around the hilt of the blade so she could test it's weight in her hand. Despite the large size of it, it appeared to be far lighter than what she initially thought it'd be. Almost like it was made for her. "Yes." She was breathless - amazed by the sight to the point where she couldn't veil the disappointment that crossed her face once the weapon disappeared in wisps of light.

' _**Now what will you give up in exchange? **_'

Give up, huh? Her gaze lingered on the remaining two items ; the shield, and the wand. In order to gain, sacrifices had to be made. So what would she throw away for the power of a warrior? For courage to face all? Her choice was made almost immediately, bounding over to the staff to take it into her hands. Almost apprehensively, she stared at it - it held such power, such untapped strength, that she was almost _**hesitant**_ to throw it away.

' _**The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. You give up this power? **_'

She had to wonder if magic was legitimate or not, but . . . well, courage and inner strength were pretty much the same thing anyways, so, she offered a nod. Similar to the sword, the wand evaporated into wisps of light, though it didn't appear to retain the warmth that she had felt when she had chosen the sword. Almost like a little burble, really - there, but not like the fire of what she recognized as strength flowing throughout her body.

' _**You have chosen the power of the warrior. . .**_

_**You have given up the power of the mystic. . .**_

_**Is this the form you choose? **_'

Musing on the stream of questions, she learned, would probably get her nowhere in the long run - she could either answer them and continue on with her path, or remain stagnant and be swallowed by her apprehension.

The fear that had seized her before had fortunately abandoned her now, which meant that the youth was free to continue carving her path. Suihei nodded her approval, figuring that it sounded rather decent all things considered. Yet, as she waited for the voice to return there was a tremor beneath her feet that almost knocked her off course. Seemed the platforms had disappeared once she had made her choice then, mn?

Quick to gather her bearings, another tremor caused the youth to lose her footing this time around. Glass shattered around her, which caused her to instinctually cover her head with her hands in the hopes of avoiding being cut. Oh, she didn't get cut, but unfortunately she was right back to plummeting further into the dark. There was no light, no warmth, no comforting voice to tell her that she wasn't alone - merely the void blanketing her vision once more.

She was falling, this time faster than before and with no type of solace from the Dark. It may have been childish to think of it in such a manner, but there was something about it that had always put her off. Evil things lurked in the Darkness, her mother had told her time and again. And everyone had a bit of that darkness in them, as history had taught. Her hair fluttered wildly around her in the breeze that followed her plummet, though her worries of being abandoned to some purgatory of endless falling was ended soon enough.

Straining herself to keep focus, the young woman's mind snapped back into 'the game' so to speak once she came to realize that she was on yet another platform. Similar to the previous one, it a beautiful mosaic beneath her feet - though this time there was a young woman clad in a green dress.

She had skin a few shades darker than Suihei's own nutmeg tone, and dark brown eyes that appeared to be festive as they were determined. The other figures (including a frog with remarkably similar eyes, an alligator, and a young woman with the oddest hair style) were what greeted her. After a moment, Suihei felt the rightness, the warmth of the blade she had chosen on the other platform settle it's weight into her hand. Curious, because she thought it had disappeared mere moments before.

' _**You've gained the power to fight. Take a swing. **_'

Now that was something she could do easily. A loose stance was taken, both hands grasping the hilt and giving a vertical swing - not enough to lift her off of the ground, but she didn't exactly stop with the motion either. Planting the balls of her feet into the ground, Suihei then gave a quick rotation, blowing back her invisible enemies with a burst of . . . air(?) that extended from her. Had she made the right choice? This thing seemed dangerous . . .

' _**Alright! You've got it. Use this power to protect yourself and others**_. '

Tch, as if she didn't know that. It was always important to play your part, do what you had to do to protect those who you cared about or somethin' like that. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Suihei's gaze focused once she pulled herself from her thoughts. Only to catch a black spot from her periphery. What was that? When did it get here anyways? Her inquiry was answered once it managed to raise from the ground - an odd thing, with ant-like antennae and beady yellow eyes. It was . . . odd. Surprisingly cute, or, at the very least it would've been if it's presence wasn't so disconcerting. Would it hurt her?

' _**There will be times you have to fight. **_'

As Suihei watched, another spot emerged, and another . . . and another. By this point, her lips drew into a thin line of apprehension, fingers clenching tighter around the hilt of her blade. These things were a bit more serious than she thought they'd be, it seemed. It would've been laughable if one of the blasted creatures hadn't jumped at her with claws outstretched, intent to impale, to rend, to hurt something that was too precious for her to give up.

' _**Keep your light burning strong . . .**_ '

An opening! Suihei bounced forward on the balls of her feet and angled her blade so it would pierce instead of slash, pushing the shadow creature back with the unsettling amount of strength that had settled into her form. Almost immediately, it burst into a fine black mist, obscuring her vision to the point where, if she hadn't skipped out of the way, she would've been caught off guard by a swipe of the claws.

It was a sloppy dodge, enough for her to get her calf muscle scratched by those ( _**coldcoldcold, so cold **_) sharp digits. Her sword created sparks, dragging across the floor from her unbalanced motion before it was rectified by her swinging horizontally. Once, twice, until her muscles ached at her and she had eliminated every creature in her immediate area. A cursory glance around her immediate area revealed that she had cleared most of them out, but for how long was the question?

' _**Behind you! **_'

The warning came a little too late ; stricken from the back, Suihei barely had time to acknowledge the blindingly frigid pain sprouting in her back- it hurt, it hurt a lot, but she grit her teeth and used the inner fire she had felt running through her veins to switch the sword into a backhanded grip and gave a blind swing back to dislodge the creature with a soft cry. A rather pitiful kick and another slash finally dispersed it , though relief was short lived. Suihei had hoped that nothing else would.

A rumbling tremor caught her attention. Her eyes widened at the dark spots, now more than ever, appearing in spades. One by one, bit by bit, they began overtaking the platform that she had believed was clear with that cold, vile, repulsive darkness. Attempting to run was a moot point, for at every turn there was nothing but more Darkness waiting for her _' Why me? Why is it __**always **__me? '_

Mistakenly, perhaps out of panic, she stepped into the darkness in her attempts to run, causing her to slip onto her backside. She tried, oh she tried to claw her way out of it though! No way was she gonna let herself be eaten by this . . . stuff! But to her dismay they were everywhere!

Each motion was met with her sinking deeper and deeper, gasping from the exertion it put on her as the ice-cold puddle continued to drag her further and further down. It's consistency was akin to tar, though once submerged completely, her air supply found itself dangerously limited. She struggled as though her life depended on it.

With a gasp, her bare hands touched the cool surface of yet another mosaic. A few minutes for recovery, that's all she needed. Panting reached her ears, but she didn't take notice of it until her eyes cracked open. She had panicked, let her fear get the best of her. Suihei pushed herself onto her feet shakily, glancing around with a wariness that was only befitting for being put into such a precarious situation. Another platform, great. The most she could hope for was that things didn't get shot straight to hell and back . . . again.

There was nothing waiting for her this time. No voice. No ink-creatures. **Nothing**.

Well, nothing except a beam of light that caught her attention. Once she righted herself, Suihei brushed her hair behind the shell of her ear towards it- or, rather, towards what it was pointing at. A door - ornate as it was beautiful, was beneath her scrutiny near immediately. Transparent enough to her eyes, and yet, once her hands came to rest on the handles, she proved incapable of pushing it open.

'_What a pain. . _.'

Attempting to push it open did nothing, and it only seemed to lead to . . . itself. Folding her arms over her chest and cupping her chin, the brunette continued to stare for a few moments, almost curious to what this door was for if only to be pretty. She was distracted from her musings by a brilliant light catching her attention. Suihei turned to face it, only to find a treasure chest waiting for her.

Huh, that hadn't been there a few moments ago. Kinda odd if ya asked her. In curiosity, she opened it, believing that there was a possibility of some sort of treasure waiting for her, or perhaps even instructions on further direction. Whatever had been inside was obviously gone now, but the few twinkles of light left behind were telling in of itself.

Curious, she glanced towards the door once again, brows creasing in annoyance once she had noticed that, yes, it was solid instead of opaque as it had been before. Suihei walked over to it, giving it a slow tap to see if it'd cause any sudden gestures. She took a step back in apprehension, though it was all for naught, for the door opened on it's own inevitably.

Slowly, the double doors began to part, a disconcerting creaking noise enrapturing her attention, completely. It would've been kept, if not for the radiance slipping between the seams. The warmth it emitted was comforting, painting the veil of her surroundings in golden beams that invoked warm, pleasant feelings within her. As her interest had yet to fade, Suhei took a step forward into the light, only to come into the familiar pale orange of twilight reflecting from the Clock Tower.

Had she finally made it home? Wait- no, she definitely wasn't anywhere near the Tower when she had tucked herself in earlier, so that wasn't it. Allowing her eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness, Suihei glanced for a quick investigation of her immediate surroundings.

' _**Hold on. The door won't open just yet. First, tell me more about yourself. **_'

Suihei sighed in vexation. Though, she really didn't have a choice did she? Such a stupid, overly complex dream if she'd ever had one. Suihei looked into the building, and across the tracks that would frequently take passengers to the other side of town, she noticed one of the boys she talked to after school was waiting for her.

With short-cropped blonde hair, he leaned against the wall as if he was contemplating something. A vest and somewhat baggy black pants worked with his boots to complete his ensemble. ' _Finally, someone to talk to_. ' She hummed and dashed his way, only to be completely taken aback by the agelessness she caught in his otherwise even-humoured eyes.

"What's most important to you?"

Suihei, not expecting the question, sputtered indignantly at the otherwise free spirited boy looking so . . . so _**serious**_. It was unsettling in the wrongest of ways, though it did serve in giving her some room for thought. What was most important to her? Stupid thing, she didn't even have t think for longer than a few moments. "Friendship I guess?"

A mirthless chuckle rolled from his mouth, chilling her to the core. "Is friendship really such a big deal?"

Unsettled, Suihei began to edge away from him, walking outside if only to come face to face with a young redhead in school clothing - somewhat disheveled, yet hardly anything worth of note. His sharp jade eyes met her own hazel, and for a second she nearly thought about turning around and going right back into the building.

"What are you afraid of?" He asked, hands tucked into his pockets almost lazily as he gave her a once-over. A lot of things, was the sarcastic response that would've rolled from her tongue if she hadn't given it serious though. But, once more, the answer rolled from between her lips before she could even think about stopping herself.

"Being different." She hated the thought of remaining isolated from her peers, abhorred it, even. Yet there he was with a half-smile, as if her fears meant nothing to him and were, at best, a childish little thing to make note of in his eyes.

"Is being different really so bad?"

To have her fears brushed off like that left Suihei with a rather bitter taste in her mouth, though she said nothing that would allude to it. Instead, she turned on her heel, intent on finding a way out - it was better than dealing with that smug smile - before she found herself plopped right on the edge of the clock tower. Oddly enough, someone who she _**would've**_ considered a close friend if not for their radical differences and pushing her to the side, was waiting for her. Feathery blonde hair framed soft features, while sharp silver eyes pierced her in a manner that had her recoil in shock. She knew she didn't really like her, but this?

Christ, talk about a buzzkill.

"What do you want out of life?" Her voice was smooth, almost mockingly cheerful, as Suihei fiddled with her hair. Either from apprehension or annoyance, she couldn't quite decipher at the moment.

"To . . . " What did she want out of life? A part of her had always dreamed, of course, that there was something out there waiting for her, something beyond the commons of Twilight Town, or the rather shoddy apartment that her mother and she shared. Not that her life was bad by any means, but . . . "To broaden my horizons." That's what her name meant, right? It was an interesting choice for her mother to make and all, if she had to be completely frank.

"To broaden your horizons, huh?" And almost as if she were amused by this, the blonde took a bite of her ice-cream and glanced away from Suihei, as if she hadn't been there at all. She was about ready to storm off again, though she couldn't this time around - her body wasn't responding like she thought it would. One twitch only led to another, but never led to actual _**movement**_. It was almost as if she'd been tethered down to the spot by an unreal amount of weight.

'_**Your adventure begins at midday. . . Keep a steady pace, and you'll come through fine.'**_

' _Curiouser and curiouser . . ._ ' Suihei thought to herself as the world around her began to wash away in muted colors. Suihei was suddenly right back on the platform that she had began everything on, where that odd boy with the spiked brown locks awaited her in another mosaic. This time, she mused, his outfit was different. He looked a bit younger and had a peculiar star shaped fruit in his hand, though the peaceful expression that his half-lidded eyes held spoke for her more than anything else about the scene.

Confident in her ability, Suihei took a few steps forward to investigate her immediate area. In the center of the platform there was a ray of light, or, a pillar rather, with small motes of energy circulating it. Mn? Maybe it was another lead. That'd be a lot better than, well, standing around and doing nothing for sure.

So, without much of a preamble, she leapt into it, only to grimace once it slid right from beneath her feet to go darting across the surface of the area. She was right behind it of course, so keen on seeing where she had to go, what she had to do. Gratification lit her eyes once she managed to catch up to it near right near a stairway that she was quite certain led to another platform. Hhh, she was getting rather tired of doing these things, but beggars couldn't be choosers, right?

Muted red lit this area this time around, and though there wasn't any discernable features on the work of art. Oddly enough, there was only a silhouette of a young woman, or at least she figured it to be a young woman with the physique and all. Suihei pushed the thought of whatever it could've been out of her mind, instead opting to cease the jog she had began in her little hunt to find the light. Her arms swayed by her sides limply, eyes glancing up to the ray of light that illuminated her features in contemplation, yet doing nothing beyond basking in it's warmth.

' _**The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes . . . **_'

Suihei turned on her heel suddenly, in order to investigate, only for her heart to crawl into her throat and stop. That wasn't her shadow, she decided. Because her shadow wouldn't be pulling itself out of the ground, wouldn't be growing to horrifying sizes. She stepped back in alarm, attempting for all but a few moments to call forward the warmth of the blade that felt so right in her hands.

Another step back sent her falling onto her rear, so she did the most logical thing she could think of. Run. Catching a glance of it from over her shoulder, she was able to discern that it's face was covered in a 'mask' of black tendrils that appeared to start at it's head. Hair? That definitely couldn't have been it. Elongated arms ended in claws that she was sure would rend her in half if she so much as got glanced by them, and those eyes.

' _**But don't be afraid. . . You hold the mightiest weapon of all. . . **_'

Those piercing yellow eyes are what really got Suihei back onto her feet and running to the other end of the platform as fast as she could. The gaping chasm that awaited her was the only reason she'd been stopped, well and truly. How could she forget that _**nothing **_was there? Was she really so stupid as to panic like that?! Thankfully her arms extended to her sides before she slipped off the slope, allowing her to regain her lost balance. Another glance behind her revealed that it hadn't stopped growing, and for a second she felt her breath leave her - apprehension etching itself on her face even as she turned to face her current company. If . . . company could be used for a giant behemoth.

It was . . . _a monster._

Easily dwarfing her, climbing a few stories into nonexistent skies. What kinda weapon could outclass _that_? And where in the world was she gonna get somethin' like it if she had never seen it in her life?

Maybe the voice was talking about the sword? It made a lot more sense, but it's weight hadn't settled into her hand yet, the large hand of the behemoth with a heart shaped cut in it's abdominal region sort of made things a bit too hard to focus on though. She gripped onto the hilt, surprised that it had even appeared in her hand when her thoughts had strayed that far.

Her thoughts were difficult to bring together with that cold, inky blackness slamming against the ground in a wave that threatened to engulf her, but she held her ground. Schooling her expression into one of resigned bravery, the youth brought the sword up and charged forward with a spring to her step that carried her faster than she thought humanly possible.

Eldritch features only made the behemoth more fearsome, but she steeled herself. Resolved to use whatever force necessary in order to carve her way into freedom if she had to. Looking for the nearest appendage she could find, Suihei found her eyes landing right upon what she needed - its hand. Suihei didn't care, that it swiped at her with claws that could've split her in half. She didn't care, because she didn't _**think**_. Her reaction time kicked in at record speeds, sending Suihei leaping onto the vertical appendage with little regard to her own health.

Dully, she counted the amount of time needed for her to reach the head. _One. Two. Three. Four. _Four seconds, with the almost leaping steps she made. In one fluid motion, Suihei drew the odd sword back. She struck forward - towards the eye, the one spot she _knew_ without a doubt to be a weakness, in the hopes of causing some form of lasting damage. A horizontal blow - then a vertical for extra measure.

The chain caused the Monster's head to give an unstable arch forward, sending Suihei plummeting towards the stained glass. Landing with an almost audible _thud_, the brunette barely had time to recover from the sensation of dizziness before energy began to collect in the cavernous hole of the beast's chest. Dark orbs struck the ground with minor tremors, causing her to lose her footing and the back of her leg to be burned with an uncomfortably _frigid_ chill that permeated along the entirety of her being.

Standing there would get her hurt- she realized. Even as the tactic of the behemoth finally came into place ( _those . . . ant like ones began sprouting from the pools of Darkness that remained _) she kept her face steady.

Slowly but surely, she hacked her way through all of the Shadows again, not ceasing in her charge for a _minute_. To her credit, being able to do that despite the pain lancing up her leg was an impressive feat. Just - not impressive enough to for her to do anything lasting. Her breathing grew more erratic once the behemoth's clawed hand slammed into the mosaic, and, as she had done previously, Suihei seized advantage of the moment by attempting to run along the creature's arm.

Unlike the previous time she had run along the creatures arm, Suihei drew her arm back and _hurled _the sword as hard as she could, sending it _shearing_ through the beast's head with enough physical force to cut through it like a buzzsaw along a piece of rotten wood. At that moment, however, there was a deluge of darkness that threatened to wash her away, weighing her down with a _stench_ that subconsciously caused her to hold her breath.

Even as a sense of smug satisfaction settled in her chest. She couldn't help but be afraid.

As the icy nails bit into her flesh, as she was dragged into the void, she ceased struggling. There was little point now, all she would do was tire herself out. Consciousness began to fade from her, though before she blacked out entirely, she heard that voice (_promising, a whisper now_) speak out to her-

' _**So don't forget: You are the one who will open the door . . . **_'

~* _**Destati** _*~

* * *

The sound of thickly bound paper hitting wood forced her into awareness of her surroundings. "AGH!" Hazel irises snapped open to dart around in apprehension.

'_ It was a dream . . . '_

Suihei sighed in relief, bringing her hand up to her chest in order to calm her still pounding heart. Once she managed to do so, the brunette graced herself with the courtesy of a small smile. It would've been rather alleviating to come to that realization, if not for the understandably miffed expression of her English teacher staring her down like he'd just been told that she'd tried poisoning him.

'_ Just a dream . . . '_

"Dozing off _again_, Suihei?" Just as swiftly as the relief came, humiliation came in to prick at her ears, causing the flesh to burn a bright red. She sat up straight, ignoring the embarrassment that came from sleeping in class in favour of trying to play it off as quickly as possible.

"No sir-" The attempt to salvage her dignity was met with a raise of the eyebrow that told her that her excuse for the day had already outlived it's short welcome.

"No? Then I'll need you to stop daydreaming in the middle of class." There was an edge to her teacher's , _' ' _she reminded herself quickly, tone that elicited more than a fair share of snickers from her peers.

Suihei gave a terse nod, failing to hide away the agitation that had settled into her shoulders. She wouldn't have been able to, even if she knew. Class being dismissed was probably the best thing she'd experienced all day - English was normally her last course of the day anyhow. With Summer Break right around the corner, she would've thought that her teacher would've been a bit more lenient with her, but that had always been wishing for too much.

_Brrrrrrng!_

Like clockwork, students began filtering out of class, sectioning off into the clusters of friends. The cacophony of chatter was to be expected from the groups of teenagers. Suihei noted, with no small amount of ire, that once again she had no one to walk home with. It would've been neat if she'd managed to make a friend here, but . . .

Only _two more days_ of this, and she'd be home free to do whatever she'd like for the next few months. Suihei couldn't wait, really! Already, she could imagine the warmth of the beach on her skin ; the smell of seasalt. Or maybe even meeting up with a few of her old friends without the social stigma that her ( admittedly _unwanted _) peers tended to impose on her. The Social elite were a cut above everyone else. While her father had pulled a few strings and ran an enterprise of ice-cream, and thus, was one of the more wealthier denizens of her home, there had never been a day that she actually looked _forward_ to attending the boarding school that he had enlisted her in.

It hadn't _always_ been like this, of course. Though she had _tried_ to convince her Dad that it'd be a better idea if she attended a school where she'd _fit in_, the stubborn fellow just didn't listen. Accommodating to her dad's unyielding will was something that she'd simply dealt with - though, she only really did so because of her mother. Haggard as the woman was, the chance for her daughter to attend an elite school was far too good for her to pass up. Estranged husband or _not._

The day had ticked on horridly slow anyways, so boredom had long since settled in as Suihei continued her walk home. Twilight Town had always been known for the perpetual balmy weather it held, with denizens of the city scattering about in the perpetual dusk with their daily lives. Even as classes of the day were dismissed, she could spot a few of her classmates heading off for after school clubs. Yearbooks, she recalled with distaste, would hopefully not be thrown about as they had been the year before.

In comparison, however, the rest of her day proved relatively uneventful. The apartment complex that she and her mother lived in was in the more affordable part of town ; far enough from her school to be considered a pleasant walk, but close enough that her mother never really minded that little fact. She climbed the stairs until she reached the second floor, digging into one of the side pockets of her backpack to retrieve the keys she'd stowed away for that very purpose.

Their home wasn't bad, not by any means. The dingy, scuffed up carpet was worn from years of her running around when she was younger. It wasn't the largest place - two bedrooms, a single bathroom and a kitchenette with a few appliances in there for some quick cooking. Scrounging the fridge produced a container of spaghetti with a note from her mother, detailing that she'd be out working a night shift _again_.

Suihei shook her head in an attempt to clear out the negative thoughts that had settled into it. If she was going to think, then it was for the best that she looked _forward_ to something, instead of focusing on _that moment_. Reflecting on how her parent's divorce had left her mother working herself to the bone would just leave a bitter taste in her mouth, so it was for that reason that she tucked it at the back of her mind, smoothed out her plaid skirt, and headed into the living room to flop onto the couch.

Now that the day was over though, and with the knowledge that her mom wouldn't be home for a few hours at least, she did what any reasonably _lazy_ teenager would do. Drift right on into a nap.

'_ I can't wait for Summer . . . ' _

The errant thought came as quickly as it went, but Suihei didn't care. Not very much at all. "Only two more days . . . " Suihei mumbled to herself, staring up at the ceiling with a wistful smile. She could do with a bit of a break. The year had been exhausting.

Just two days, until her life would become a little bit easier.

_' I wonder . . . what was that dream about . . . '_

* * *

**And that's the first chapter done, I think! Mostly just to establish a few things ; I'm really bad at traveling scenes, haha. Anyhow, I've mapped out the first, oh . . . five or so chapters. They may not come out as long as this one did, mostly because, welll this was an introductory chapter! I'm finishing this at late-o-clock by the way ; so I'm gonna need you guys to excuse how absolutely poopy this is. Please, don't be afraid to leave a review! They help me learn where I can, and can't improve! There's **_**always**_** room for improvement! If you really, **_**really**_** want reference images, then they'll be placed on my profile! ( **_**note to self ; request an actual title cover for this- )**_

_**Cast & Crew **_

_**Suihei - Age ; 15.5 - Human / Somebody - Primary Protagonist.**_  
_**Nyx Noir - Age ; appears 17 - Nobody / Feline - Secondary Protagonist / Support Character. -**_  
_**Noxic - Age ; 17 - Rabbit / Dark-Hearted Somebody - Tritiary Protagonist / Support Character. **_


	2. Lazy Afternoons

_Oh hey would you look at this, I'm working at another chapter. Eugh. The muse is still rolling, fortunately, so I'm trying to take advantage of it while I still can, ayyyy. Still learning how to do perspective shifts here, though. I think this might be a little random, maybe, to fill the day with mundane activities before getting into the whole 'adventure!' sort of thing, but, uh, I thought it'd be neat to go over a day to day life with a few cameos, maybe? Eugh, that reminds me to settle down and start watching Disney movies before I even get to the meat of the story._

_I'll do that. Eventually._

**The Story so Far ** _Three days before Summer Vacation, strange dreams plague Suihei's mind - dreams of Shadows, and Darkness linger in her Heart, leaving her with a feeling of unease. But it was just a dream . . . right?_

**Disclaimer ;** I _tragically _don't own the cash cow known as Kingdom Hearts ; credit goes to Disney and Squeenix for producing the universe. The only thing I own is _Suihei_ and the overarching plot. Nyx Noir and Noxic belong to oblivion363 and arti-collie respectively.

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Lazy Afternoons ;**_

* * *

_Twilight Town ;_

Sunlight trickled into the small window of her bedroom, illuminating the admittedly cluttered area with the warmth of the morning sun that sent her crawling right beneath the mountain of covers that kept her from facing the absolutely _dreadful_ bite of reality.

She had never hated school days so much until now. All she wanted was _a little more_ **sleep**.

"Suihei, breakfast's ready!" Her mother called from the small kitchenette and after a few minutes of her laying listlessly in bed, which she couldn't remember crawling into at all, the morning light found itself beaming into her face as a more direct wakeup call.

Once she managed to push herself out of the comfort of her plush sheets, she dragged herself to the bathroom, overlooking her appearance once she finished taking her shower. Admittedly, she was short - probably the shortest in her class, if she thought about it. Standing at an admittedly embarrassing 5'3", she hardly cut for an imposing figure amongst her classmates. Skin as brown as nutmeg came from her mixed heritage, something that made her stand out all the more in the crowd of kids at her school.

She was slim, hardly even growing beyond the awkward stage of adolescence but _just_ budding enough so that nobody could call her _much_ of a kid. Brown locks were messy, messier than she would've liked, actually, but it was a genetic thing from her dad's side of the family, so she'd been told. She took time to sweep her fingers through the shoulder-blade semi-spiked locks to secure it into a low-ponytail, before her hazel eyes narrowed and she gave herself the sharpest grin she could muster. Today would be one of the last days of the year! No need to be so dour!

Tossing her dirty launder over into a basket that held no significance, Suihei forced herself to smooth out her plaid skirt and straighten out her tie before sliding into the kitchen to settle down against the counter, taking the piece of toast that was slid her way automatically - out of habit.

"Good morning, _Mi Ciela." _

_"Buenos Dias, Mami." _

It was like this every morning, she mused to herself - her mother, Ruth was there to greet her with a smile that reached her green eyes. If there was one thing that the raven-haired beauty was good at, it was making sure that her daughter always met her with a right-as-rain grin to keep her going forward. "So, what're your plans for the day?" The inquiry was light, playful. An unneeded question that still found itself hanging in the air for both of their sakes.

"Ah, well, I'll be going to hang out with the guys today, maybe, an-" Suihei's eyes snapped over to the clock silently. _7:00 _glared at her with all the intensity of a hawk preparing to swoop down on its prey. "-d _try_ not to be late to class! Later Mami!" A smooch to the older woman's cheek was all Suihei offered, before she ran as fast as she could out of the door, not catching the sight of the Ruth shaking her head in bemusement at her only child.

Ruth smiled as she called after her.

"Be safe!"

Suihei was already far gone by the time she called after her.

* * *

**_~*Destati*~_**

"Mnnn." By the time school had let out that day, Suihei was already bristling with excitement and running down the streets. The day had gone by in a blur, slipping out of her awareness and _thankfully_ coming to an end. When the last bell rang, she was the first to leave and the last to look back.

It took some cutting through a few places ( the Sandlot was the fastest way to the hangout from her school ) before she reached The Usual Spot. Though countless kids had apparently taken the time to use it before her group had claimed it, there was something homey about it that made her bristle up in pride every time she managed to meet her friends there. Tattered red rags hung from the fence to 'hide' it from any prying eyes. Old wood had been replaced ages ago - regularly, actually.

Her footsteps did appear to have caught some form of attention, however, because before she even had a chance to settle in, three sets of eyes turned to greet her. "Yo, Sui, you're late!" Barrett's abrasive voice cut through the air like the sharp edge of a knife. While they were definitely ( _definitely _) friends, the young man who happened to be but a year or so her senior seemed to be relatively _irked_ by her perpetual tardiness.

"Sorry, I sorta got distracted, my teachers sorta wanted to hold me back, and-" A soft giggle interrupted what would've been a long-winded rant by Suihei if she'd been given the opportunity to do so.

"And you got lost on the road of life?" A girl's voice. finished with a far friendlier tone. Barrett's younger sister, Marlene. Milk brown pools met hazel playfully. Marlene was a young thing, around eleven or so the last time Suihei had bothered to ask. The white sundress she wore was only complimented by the pink ribbon secured in her shoulder-length locks and white sandals.

She hopped off of the crate she had been sitting on in order to walk over to Suihei. Marlene's face twisted into one of exasperation at the older girl's look, though the expression only served to make her look cuter. Suihei brought her hands up with an awkward grin, as if attempting to fend for herself while the pre-teen affixed her with a tiny frown. All in jest, really.

Marlene and Barrett- you wouldn't be able to tell that they weren't related, due to the fact that they were simply so _close._ Suihei envied that relationship, really. Their parents worked for a power company on the other side of the town, Shin-Ra, Suihei recalled with a grimace.

AVALANCHE, as Barrett had taken to calling the little club, had been formed because Marlene's mother had gotten sick from working along one of the lesser branches, though she'd never bothered to ask about the power company out of respect.

"Aha, yeah . . . " Suihei began with a start, only to wither beneath the bemused silver eyes of the other girl who'd taken a seat on yet another crate.

"So if we're all done waiting for the Princess, can we talk about what we're gonna do today?" She intruded, causing Suihei to fluff up indignation. Really, Relm wasn't the meanest of girls, but her mouth was as sharp as her eyes were, sometimes. Though the rest of her locks were covered in a too-large hat, and the shirt she wore had a fair share of paint-splatter on it. Artwork happened to be one of her ( _many_ ) passions, though that never really stopped her from joining the ragtag group of friends out of either amusement or obligation.

Kinda hard to tell with her, really.

Barrett was the one to answer the question. "Well, what I was sayin' before Sui was _late._" at this she gave another sheepish grin. "Was that we needed to get a few things goin' before we even thought about spreadin' the message a bit more. There're a few folks around that got jobs and stuff, so if we go ahead and help 'em out, then we can get the name out there a bit more, spread the message." Barrett punched his fist into his empty palm, as if doing so would cement his point in all the further. He definitely knew what he was doing though, and the extra money _could_ go forward to fundraising enough money for whatever they may have needed.

Really though they were a bunch of kids, what were the odds of them changing the way one power company ran things? Suihei thought morbidly.

"So, if we go down to Market Street, there _should_ be signs in front of the shops, right?" Marlene was the one to ask this question while she eyed the rest of her friends with that somewhat cheerful expression of hers._  
_

Suihei folded her arms behind her neck. "Well, not exactly. I think they moved them off to the side for some reason." Something about kids standing in the way of people wanting to conduct business or the like.

"We'll need about 500 munny if you want me to make the posters." Relm cut in, arching a slim brow at the incredulous looks that the trio shot her. "What? I hope you weren't expecting us to _pay_ people to do somethin' that I can do for free."

Barrett had the dignity of _not_ looking like he swallowed a sour patch of strawberries, at least.

Marlene sighed, "Well . . . if you can do it for that, then we can work at getting more munny for other stuff, right? Maybe we could even go to the beach tomorrow to pick up a few things, recycle, even- or, uh, stop the littering!"

"But tomorrow is the last day of _school_. We can totally do it over the rest of the Summer." Suihei groaned, not liking the idea of spending the last day of the school year picking up _garbage_ of all things. The insensitive comment wasn't exactly met _well_, because, well, everyone knew that Suihei could be kind of selfish sometimes. It was in her nature, though that didn't make it any less favorable for the people that she called her "friends" in the loosest sense of the term.

"Or we can go the day after when we're all rested." Barrett could go undisputed like that, quickly snatching the situation and putting it back in place before it blew up in everyone's faces. "That's that then, let's get to work."

* * *

**_*~Destati~*_**

With the goals for the day in mind, they swept between the busy crowds in order to head to the post-it-board that Suihei had spoken of but a few moments prior.

The bustling streets made the day hotter than she expected and everyone had taken their jobs before splitting off to take care of them. Barrett had gone on ahead and decided to push a cart up into a garage for a young man that had just moved locations of one of his shops. Relm had gone to tear up some garbage that an elderly woman had been having trouble with disposing of ( it had smelled to high hell and back, in Suihei's humble opinion ) and Marlene had decided to spend her time trying perform a juggling a few rubber balls in order to provide entertainment to a small crowd for a pleasant amount of pocket money.

That left her with . . . not the worst job possible.

Rollerskating to deliver mail was actually one of the easier tasks that she could be saddled with. Having made the _smart_ ( and that was sarcasm there ) decision to leave behind her backpack this morning proved to be more of a bane than a blessing. The second decision to leave her shoes back at the Usual Spot? Not so dumb.

She was glad that she had enough experience in the activity from _years_ of doing it in her spare time. Her mother wouldn't allow her daughter to grow slack with inactivity after all, and had stretched their already limited funds thinner in order to keep the girl active.

Tucking the small collection of parcels beneath her arm, Suihei began to skate down the hill she'd been gestured to start at, as the directions had told her. When she was given the go ahead, she was off in a sprint, skirt fluttering from the backlash of wind against her slim legs bursting into motion. She weaved through the confused and annoyed patrons of the town with a few apologies, holding onto the hem of her skirt with a free hand once she jumped over a railing to drop off her first package to a young woman - a baker, she remembered - who didn't seem to be expecting it at all.

She didn't even waste any time turning back, only offering a quick "Sorry!" and a wave before she was off again.

Wind blew her already messy hair in front of her eyes, but she had the fortune of remembering a quick shortcut to her next point. The potion shop where old lady Elmyra stayed. She spied it in a few moments and altered her path as quick as possible to swerve beneath a passing set of folks moving a chair. "Excuse me!" She called back, only stopping to set the package against the door before skating off again.

Only one more package to go!

Jumping out of the garbage can of an alleyway she cut through scared the everloving crap out of her. "Gah!" Nearly stumbling to a halt, she jumped into the air - kicking off from the wall in order to avoid barreling over the feline entirely in a split-second maneuver. She continued on her way by bursting out of the alleyway with a few obscene curses flowing from her mouth. Her grandmother would've been appalled to no end and _probably_ would've given her one of the firmest talking-to's in her life if she'd ever heard the expletives that poured freely from her lips.

As she finally veered towards her last stop for the day, Suihei wiped away a bit of the sweat that condensed at her brow. Her legs were burning, her heart was pounding, and there was a faint metallic tang at the back of her throat along a soreness to her gums that she attributed to pushing herself too fast after she'd gotten scared.

It was tough work - she had to go all the way from the Station Heights down to Main Street and cross back over to Dawn Drive, but Suihei couldn't help but smile as she swerved a bit on her heel. Papers threatened to spill out of her hands from the sharp turn out of yet another alleyway, but she was quick to recover and the final bundle at the door of her last target for the day.

She was surprised by an elderly man ( the one who had given her the job, she vaguely recalled ) greeting her as soon as she was about to go. His gray eyes seemed amused at the youth, who seemed to be quite quick to speed off! Had she forgotten that she was supposed to be paid by him? "You've forgotten something, young lady." At her curious expression, he gave a wisped chuckle.

"For all your hard work. 500 munny, as we agreed." The sac of munny came as a surprise ( was she really _that_ forgetful? ), but the small Potion tossed her way was twice as pleasant. While they weren't exactly rare, they weren't inexpensive either. Quick to hold onto it between it between her hands as if both were treasures to cherish above all else, Suihei didn't so much as spare a second glance back after bidding the elderly man a farewell.

* * *

**_~*Destati*~_**

"What a day. . . " Suihei sighed to no one in particular as she flopped right back against the aged chair. For once, she actually managed to be one of the first back from her little task for the day, though the peace and quiet was, unfortunately, short lived.

"You're tellin' me." Relm grumbled as she came striding in, followed by two grunts of assent from Barrett and Marlene.

As expected, they all carried their own small sacs for the munny they had accumulated for the day. "So what's the total product for everyone?" Marlene piped up inquisitively, scrunching her nose in disgust at the scent of stale sweat coming from Barrett and Suihei.

"450." Relm said, squinting at a piece of . . . garbage bag? That had ended tangling up in har bandana. How disgustin'.

"200." Marlene huffed dejectedly. How was she supposed to know that she wasn't _that_ good at juggling anyways? A tough crowd, that's what they were-

"500." Barrett and Suihei piped up at the _exact_ same time, causing both to squint at one another in _almost_ competitive disdain.

"It's not a competition you guys." Marlene reproached gently, knowing that if she didn't nip that little bud in the butt soon, they'd have two overworked kids trying to outdo one another for the sake of saying they'd contributed more.

Relm assessed the situation for what it was, calculating the amount of money they had managed to scrounge together that day with an almost wistful expression. "That's about 1,750 munny. Not that bad. We have a little extra to spend." She wasn't going to give a _straightforward _compliment, no matter how much her friends tried to dig at her for one.

That just wasn't her style.

"So. Ice-cream?" Suihei piped in with a cheery, albeit, exhausted smile.

"Ice-cream."

Well, this day wasn't looking too bad after all.

* * *

**_*~Destati~*_**

They met on the Clock Tower, with a bit of convincing towards the employees there to let them slip up to settle down on the edge of it, at least. It wasn't so bad, Suihei thought to herself. Not at all. She'd settled right on the far left of the group, with Barrett and Marlene sandwiched in the middle, and Relm closing up the right quite nicely.

"So, what do you guys think we should do for the Summer?" Marlene's voice broke the comfortable monotony that the quartet had taken, not that anyone seemed to mind. Encouraged by this, she continued to speak. She may have been the youngest, but sometimes she liked to think that she helped everyone get along. "I mean, besides going to the beach."

"I heard there might be an amusement park opening up on the other side of town. We could always catch the train to go." Suihei perked up at Relm's suggestion, leaning over _slightly_ so she could give the silver eyed girl an incredulous look.

"I heard that place was going to be expensive. How could we even afford it?" How can _Suihei_ even afford it? Was the question that Barrett meant to ask.

While she didn't doubt that either of her friends would be able to cover themselves if they asked their parents, Suihei bore ill-will towards the thought! Her mom already had enough problems as it was trying to support herself and her daughter! And goodness knew the last person she wanted to ask was her father. The man left a bitter taste in her mouth every time she had to so much as spend a second near him!

"That sounds lame anyways. . . " Suihei mumbled, taking another bite out of her ice-cream. Her eyes had flicked to watch the Sun disappear over the horizon. It blanketed them in a tranquil calm for a few moments . . . or awkward. She had a thing for making things awkward. "I wanna travel a bit, myself. This world . . . " _Is too lonely. _Her lips pinched together in a frown, brows knitting while the briefest sensation of annoyance flitted through her. ". . . this world is too small."

With an exasperated sigh, the blonde of the group shook her head and tapped her finely manicured nails against the stone surface of the Tower. Though she hadn't heard it in months, it didn't make Suihei's rambling any less annoying for her to deal with. "Right, here we go again. How many times are we gonna have to tell ya Sui, _there aren't_ other worlds out there that have anything interesting there! You're being an idiot." Relm was as quick as the pen that was often tucked away behind one of her ears.

The verbal barbs stung, but Suihei laughed it off with a strained sorta noise that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, I know . . ."

Barrett, though somewhat awkward about it, was quick to shift the subject before it broke out into another argument between the tentative friends. Planet knew he didn't want to hear one of _those_ spats again, irritable as he was.

"Yeah, it ain't no big, so . . . " The conversation drifted on after yet another abrupt shift.

After reviewing on what other things their funds could be divided on, AVALANCHE had called it a day with the promise of meeting one another after school ended tomorrow.

* * *

_***~Destati~***_

The brunette was in a relatively good mood, she felt. Nothing could keep her down at this point - the Summer was right on the edge of her grasp, she might've finally been getting along with the guys beyond a superficial level- despite the argument, that is. And the most important part?

She'd be able to enjoy that trip to the beach, at least.

Still, as once she finally made her way home, she couldn't help but peer out of the window with an expression of determination etched onto her face. If there was one thing she'd never liked, it had always been people telling her that something was impossible. Sure, she'd felt that she could _trust_ those guys with the little, whimsical wish of being able to see bigger and better things than what Twilight Town had to offer, but for once - just this once . . .

"I _know_ there are other worlds out there." She mumbled to herself, closing her eyes. Her chin came to rest on her arms, which had been settled in the windowsill. Suihei _knew_ there were. She just had to do something about it to prove it.

So wrapped up in her thoughts of adventures, discovering riches and seeing great sights, she hardly took note of the fact that her mother hadn't even come home yet. Another late night, it seemed.

And in the reach of the heavens mottled in the pink and dusky blues of the twilit skies.

A lone star blinked out.

* * *

_A shorter chapter? A shorter chapter. Seeing as how there wasn't much action going on here, I didn't think much of including anything in here that could've been deemed unnecessary. It was . . . pretty interesting to write, I guess? I mean I don't doubt for a second that I might've rushed towards the tail end of it ( and wow is it quarter to 2 AM already-) but, aaah, this was just to introduce a few more characters I guess! Maybe. Maybe I'll get better at writing chapters in the near future. I always end up getting stuck on what to start sentences with ( despite knowing that there are a near unlimited amount of words to start sentences with ). Once again, feel free to leave a review and don't let the bed bugs bite-_


End file.
